Eastern Influences on Western Philosophy

A Reader

The influence of East on West - of Eastern ideas on Western thought - has become an increasingly vexed issue in recent times. Opinion is divided between two main schools: those who believe that Oriental ideas have exercised a considerable influence on Western thought, and those who, for a variety of reasons, believe that such influence has remained negligible.

Show more

In this Reader A. L. Macfie suggests that the reality lies somewhere between these two extremes, and that the interest taken by Western thinkers in Eastern thought in the modern period has moved from one of passing interest, through serious attention, to some level of assimilation and acceptance.

Eastern Influences on Western Philosophy explores the extent of Oriental influence on European thought, primarily in the period of the Enlightenment and the nineteenth-century period of doubt and scepticism that followed it. As such it is the first Reader to bring together in one place a series of specific historical and textual studies of Oriental influence upon European thinkers. Starting with Malebranche and ending with Heidegger, other Western thinkers considered include Leibniz, Voltaire, Hume, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Emerson, Thoreau, Nietzsche, Jung and Buber.

To accompany the readings the editor's introduction explores the idea of influence in the context of the chosen readings, and at the same time raises the question of how far Edwards Said's thesis regarding Orientalism actually applies to Western thought.

Key Features

Reflects increasing interest in relationship between Eastern and Western Philosophy

Covers major European figures from the 18th and 19th centuries and the way Eastern thought influenced them

Substantial editorial introduction places readings in context and explores the influence of the East on the West

About the Author

Alexander Lyon Macfie's publications include The Eastern Question (1988; 1996), The Straits Question (1993), Ataturk (1994), and The End of the Ottoman Empire (1998).

Reviews

The coverage is broad and attractive, focusing on a number of major contributors to this field, and making use of extracts from a range of highly esteemed scholarly works. The issue of orientalism, as well as related issues concerning the encounter between Europe and Asia at various levels, is a subject of considerable academic, as well as wider, interest at the present time, and I believe that this work well reflects these concerns, and will provide a useful collection of relevant writings.- Professor John Clarke, Kingston University

This is an important project and there is nothing quite like it currently available.- Professor Richard King, University of Derby